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downthetubes is undergoing some main site refurbishment...

Saturday, 7th October 2017

The downthetubes news blog was assimilated into our main site back in 2013, but we're glad you're here, because that's currently undergoing some under the bonnet refurb! So we've brought this blog back from the dead to tide us over.

We expect to be back up and running next week, just before the 2017 Lakes International Comic Art Festival - see you there?

Hop over to www.downthetubes.net for other British comics news, comic creating guides, interviews and much more!

Saturday, 25 August 2012

Off Life, new Brit comic magazine, launches crowd fundng campaign

Published bi-monthly, distributed free in galleries, coffee houses, bars, stores and expos in cities across the UK - and with a free world wide digital edition via www.offlife.co.uk - OFF LIFE Magazine will be full of one to five page comic stories and aims to provide a platform for up-and-coming indie talent while opening the comic medium to a whole new audience. Since the title was announce at the end of July, the editors have had over 60 submissions for consideration.

It's hoped the title will provide a space for the next generation of comic creators and a new model for our beloved medium to build on.

Editor Daniel Humphry says the magazine will feature the best new, undiscovered and underground comics artists taking aim on modern life with adult humour, slice of life storytelling and harsh realities.

In short: if it's happening out there, it'll be in here.

The team behind OFF LIFE are a team of experienced magazine editors and designers, who point out that although comic culture is at an all time high among mainstream audiences, with people watching The Walking Dead, Scott Pilgrim or Dark Knight, many will still not venture in to a comic shop to experience their first title. By bringing comics to the audience, free and literally under their noses, they hope to change this.

With Issue One due out in late September OFF LIFE has already received tremendous buzz and support. The project has been featured by us on downthetubes, Creative Review, Forbidden Planet, Comic Book Resources and many others while Guardian Cartoonist and comic book creator Tom Gauld has signed to contribute.

To date over 60 submissons have been received with many more pledged and tweets of support have come from every corner of the comic industry.

By helping fund Issue One of OFF LIFE, say the team, you will be helping create a platform for the next generation of comic creators and a new model for our beloved medium to build on.

All funding received from supporters will go directly to funding the print run and distribution of OFF LIFE Issue One. The £1000 plus target set for this Indiegogo page will fund over 3000 print copies and a free digital edition, and, should they reach target, the plan is to increase the print run accordingly.

After Issue One they plan to sustain the magazine through advertising and provisions for this have already been set in place. The magazine will always stay free to read.

No money from this donations page will be taken by the team behind the project.

"If we do not reach our entire goal then all funds will be combined with investment from the team to ensure a print run," says Daniel.

Even if you don't have spare cash to support the campaign, there are other ways you can help. For example, you could tell any comic creators you know to submit a piece.

The editorial team are inviting any and all interest in the publication. Whether you're a talent with a story, a potential stockist or an advertiser looking to target our unique market they'd love to hear from you.

Most importantly, come September please read our magazine. And if you can, enjoy it!

The site downthetubes.net, which began publishing in 1999, is edited by John Freeman whose credits include editor of Doctor Who Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, Star Wars Magazine, and Marvel UK titles such as Overkill, Death's Head II, Warheads and others. He's currently editor of the upcoming Strip Magazine for Print Media Productions.

About the Writers:

• Matthew Badham has written features for Judge Dredd: The Megazine, the Forbidden Planet International blog and more

• Jeremy Briggs contributes news, reviews, interviews and historical articles on British comics. He is a guest writer on Steve Holland's UK comics history blog, Bear Alley, and has written for Comics International, TV Zone, Spaceship Away and Omnivistascope.

• David Hailwood has written comic strips for various publications, including TOXIC, Accent UK, Bulletproof and Futurequake. He also writes comedy material for TV, and regularly contributes to the Temple APA (a showcase for UK comic writers and artists).

• Andy Luke is a writer who draws: he's s created the eponymous Andy Luke's Comic Book, Gran, Absence: a comic about epilepsy, Hold the Phones, It's Alex Jones, and graphic novel, The Watch Thief. He's written about comics too, mainly for Bugpowder.com, and has been involved with the Caption comics festival in Oxford. He currently lives in Belfast with a large box of pasta and a 7ft tall cigarette, and can be found online at http://andy-luke.com and http://awriterwhodraws.com

• Ian Wheeler is a freelance writer who also edited the highly-acclaimed British comics fanzine Eagle Flies Again.